Planned Parenthood Clinic Haiku

clinic night

Planned Parenthood discharges

unmothered mothers

The prochoice agenda: Dehumanize, then kill

Killing animals for food (and abortion by any other name)

While out driving I was listening to a local talk show. The host had on a woman who was encouraging not eating animals - as a vegetarian I agree - and pointing out that raising animals for food as we do it now actually causes more pollution than industry and cars.

I've heard that argument before.

But that's not what struck me about what she was saying.

She noted that as part of the animal production industry they give the food different names - you are eating a hamburger, not a cow, for example. Renaming them makes it easier to stomach (sorry) because it creates some distance from the animals we are killing. To call the food by its real name makes it too familiar, and we are less likely to kill and eat them.

I couldn't help thinking about the abortion industry. We can't call it a baby, because that would make the little victim too close, too familiar. So the child becomes a fetus, or a product of conception. And abortion becomes choice.

I wondered if the guest had ever made that connection. Maybe she has, and she's pro-life. But I know so many vegetarians and animal lovers who would agree with her pro-animal arguments who are also pro-abortion.

Abortion: Kill for the Cause?

The nearly 200,000 aborted babies in the UK eachyear are the lesser evil, no matter how you define life, or death, for that matter. If you are willing to die for a cause, you must be prepared to kill for it, too. - Antonia Senior - Times of London

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33782505/Yes-Abortion-is-Killing

Bishop Olmsted unfairly attacked; ALL responds

Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix informed Sister Margaret McBride - who, as the head of the ethics committee for St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center had personally authorized the abortion of an 11-week pre-term baby - that her actions incurred automatic excommunication. He did not excommunicate her - it was automatic. Yet he has come under attack.

The American Life League responds:

c

Obama Pushes Abortion Unhealth Care

President Obama has now offered his version of health (sic) care reform. Not surprisingly, his version is similar to the pro-abortion Senate proposal.

His bill provides a starting point for discussion at the upcoming health care summit - that's likely to be the argument his administration will make. But there are hints that if pro-lifers and Republicans (not synonymous, by the way) don't go along with what he wants, he might just seek a procedural way to ram it through.

Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups and individuals will undoubtedly applaud - and contribute to his 2012 campaign.

We need some health care reform, but without the protections for life and conscience, his proposed bill is unacceptable.

Bishops: Reject Health Care bill that does not prohibit abortion coverage

The U.S. Bishops have issued a nationwide call to Catholics to help prevent health care reform from being derailed by the abortion lobby.

To that end, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has sent bulletin inserts and pulpit announcements to almost 19,000 parishes across the country.

“As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic bishops continue to make the moral case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable,” the insert says. “Health care reform should not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country.”

The insert encourages Catholics to contact their Senators and Representatives, urging them to keep longstanding restrictions against federal funding of abortion and full conscience protection in the legislation. (The house version does this; the Senate version, the one preferred by President Obama, does not.)

If these criteria are not met, the Bishops are calling on Catholics to urge Congress to oppose the final bill.

The bulletin insert and pulpit announcement can be found in English and in Spanish at www.usccb.org/healthcare. Catholics can contact their legislators online by going to www.usccb.org/action.

Good for them. We need more leaders in the Church to exercise courage and to speak out.

March for Life to include White House rally

This year's March for Life events in Washington will include something that is warranted given President Obama's radical pro-choice agenda: A rally outside the White House.

Organizers of the March have scheduled a two-hour rally January 21 from 6-8 p.m. at Lafayette Park, across from the White House (that's the evening before the March).

This is being described as an attempt to demonstrate participants' commitment to the pro-life movement to President Barack Obama, who continues to push for abortion - including in health care reform - despite the fact that a majority of Americans now identify themselves as pro-life.

The January 21 rally is being called a "mini-rally" because the permit limits the gathering to 3,000 demonstrators. How many will show up is a guess. Unfortunately, many people (including the people on the buses from Rochester) will still be en route to take part in the March on the 22nd.

I will not be able to go this year. But next year, when the March is on Saturday, I will be able to participate in Washington for the first time. I am looking forward to that. Even better, though, would be if President Obama had a change of heart, and the Supreme Court overturned Roe before next January 22nd, making the March unnecessary. (Yeah, I know I'm dreaming.)

I wonder if there are any rallies or prayer vigils planned in Rochester for the 22nd? Anyone know of any?

Bishops Oppose Current Senate Health Care Bill

"Deficient.”

That's how the chairmen of three committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops described the current health care legislation expected to be approved by the Senate this morning.

In a letter issued December 22, the bishops urged the Senate not to go forward -a request that, barring some last minute miracle, has apparently fallen on deaf ears (including some nominally Catholic ones).

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, of the Committee on Migration, said in their letter that the Senate bill “violates the longstanding federal policy against the use of federal funds for elective abortions and health plans that include such abortions -- a policy upheld in all health programs covered by the Hyde Amendment as well as in the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program -- and now in the House-passed ‘Affordable Health Care for America Act.’”

They noted that under the Senate bill, “federal funds will help subsidize, and in some cases a federal agency will facilitate and promote, health plans that cover elective abortions.”

“All purchasers of such plans will be required to pay for other people’s abortions in a very direct and explicit way, through a separate premium payment designed solely to pay for abortion. There is no provision for individuals to opt out of this abortion payment in federally subsidized plans, so people will be required by law to pay for other people’s abortions.”

“This bill also continues to fall short of the House-passed bill in preventing governmental discrimination against health care providers that decline involvement in abortion,” the bishops said. And it also “includes no conscience protection allowing Catholic and other institutions to provide and purchase health coverage consistent with their moral and religious convictions on other procedures.”

They also brought in access to health care by immigrants - regardless of their status.

“Without such access, many immigrant families would be unable to receive primary care and be compelled to rely on emergency room care. This would harm not only immigrants and their families, but also the general public health. Moreover, the financial burden on the American public would be higher, as Americans would pay for uncompensated medical care through the federal budget or higher insurance rates.”

The letter is welcome, but perhaps the bishops need to be more forceful - such as saying the time has come for "Catholic" politicians to decide what is more important, their faith, or their elective offices.

To see the entire letter, go to http://www.usccb.org/healthcare/letter-to-senate-20091222.pdf.

(UPDATE: It passed this morning.)

Pro-Choice Violence: Lila Rose assaulted

Live Action Films president Lila Rose has filed a police report after she was allegedly struck by a Planned Parenthood escort outside a San Jose abortion center.

Rose was on a public sidewalk outside the Planned Parenthood affiliate at 1691 The Alameda. She was praying with a group and offering information to women entering the abortion center on Thursday when she got into an exchange with a uniformed escort, who recognized her as the investigator in the Live Action videos, which expose Planned Parenthood workers breaking laws and lying to young women who say they are seeking abortions.

According to the police report filed at the scene - corroborated by witnesses - Rose said, "Sir, are you familiar with the abortion procedure?"

The Planned Parenthood escort allegedly approached Rose and said, "You idiot. You've caused so much trouble. You piece of crap."

According to the police report, Rose offered to show the escort a picture, saying, "Can I show you a picture of what it really does to a baby?"

At that point, the Planned Parenthood escort allegedly struck Rose's hand, knocking literature and a Bible to the ground. Rose then reportedly stepped further back onto sidewalk, and the escort, who was visibly upset according to the report, stepped towards her saying, "It's a woman's choice!"

Rose responded, "What about the baby's choice?"

At that point the escort said, "It's not a baby!" Then the escort walked away.

Police were then called and interviewed the Rose and several witnesses. Rose sustained no injuries from the attack. Charges of assault and battery are pending.

Maybe the escort's violent response was due to a nagging conscience that was trying to deny the reality of what he was helping to do to those babies. Let us pray for him and all others caught up in the violence of abortion.

Manhattan Declaration: Support Life and Faith

The Manhattan Declaration is a document initially signed by a group of prominent Christians (Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical) to defend the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, and the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Since the initial signatures by many religious leaders and prominent Christians (I'm including a list of some of the Catholic signatories at the bottom of this post), and the Declaration's release on November 20, more than 250,000 people (including myself) have signed.

The Declaration reads in part:

"We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians, have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations to seek and defend the good of all who bear his image. We set forth this declaration in light of the truth that is grounded in Holy Scripture, in natural human reason (which is itself, in our view, the gift of a beneficent God), and in the very nature of the human person. We call upon all people of goodwill, believers and non-believers alike, to consider carefully and reflect critically on the issues we here address as we, with St. Paul, commend this appeal to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

While the whole scope of Christian moral concern, including a special concern for the poor and vulnerable, claims our attention, we are especially troubled that in our nation today the lives of the unborn, the disabled, and the elderly are severely threatened; that the institution of marriage, already buffeted by promiscuity, infidelity and divorce, is in jeopardy of being redefined to accommodate fashionable ideologies; that freedom of religion and the rights of conscience are gravely jeopardized by those who would use the instruments of coercion to compel persons of faith to compromise their deepest convictions.

Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife, and the freedom of conscience and religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we are compelled by our Christian faith to speak and act in their defense. In this declaration we affirm: 1) the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human being as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, possessing inherent rights of equal dignity and life; 2) marriage as a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and non-believers alike, to be the most basic institution in society and; 3) religious liberty, which is grounded in the character of God, the example of Christ, and the inherent freedom and dignity of human beings created in the divine image.

We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season. May God help us not to fail in that duty."

The Declaration goes on to declare that the signatories will not comply with laws that violate their beliefs. Civil disobedience could be the result!

"Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s."

Imagine if we can get 500,000 or a million signatures?

Here's some of the original signatories who are Catholic:

Bishop Sam Aquila (Diocese of Fargo), Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (Archdiocese of Denver), Timothy A. Chichester (Catholic Family Association of America), Bishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone (Diocese of Oakland, CA), Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio (Diocese of Brooklyn), Bishop Timothy Dolan (Diocese of New York) Dr. William Donohue (Catholic League), Fr. Joseph D. Fessio (Ignatius Press), Dr. Peter Kreeft (Boston College), Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz (Archdiocese of Louisville), Adam Cardinal Maida (Archbishop Emeritus, Diocese of Detroit), Bishop Richard J. Malone (Diocese of Portland), Bishop Robert C. Morlino (Diocese of Madison), Archbishop John J. Myers (Archdiocese of Newark), Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann (Diocese of Kansas City), Archbishop John Nienstedt (Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis), Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted (Diocese of Phoenix), Justin Cardinal Rigali (Archdiocese of Philadelphia), Bishop Michael J. Sheridan (Diocese of Colorado Springs), Father Peter M.J. Stravinskas (The Catholic Response), George Weigel (Ethics and Public Policy Center), Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl (Archdiocese of Washington),Bishop David A. Zubik (Diocese of Pittsburgh).

Good company. Consider joining them

Go here to read the full Declaration, and to sign the petition.

Huckabee: On Palin, Pro-life issues

The more people see clips like this, the better his chances in 2012.

Planned Parenthood director quits over abortion

This was just too powerful not to post something. Her description of the child fighting for its life brings starkly home the reality of abortion. I'm so glad Huckabee interviewed her.

Huckabee: Healthcare Reform = Elective Abortions?

Catholics and pro-lifers who are not still drinking Kool Aid need to pay attention.

Oh, and in 2012, consider Huckabee.

Abortion: Nothing new under the sun

15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 "When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live." 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, "Why have you done this, and let the male children live?" 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and are delivered before the midwife comes to them." 20 So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every son that is born to the Hebrews* you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live." Exodus 1: 15-22 (RSV CE)

At Mass this morning the first reading was from Exodus. I was struck by something: What Pharaoh was doing was what is being done today. There's nothing new under the sun. So I went home and looked at the full section.

I thought of abortion. In some nations, they are aborting not boys, though, but girls. But it's the same idea. Kill the gender you do not want.

Of course, you could extend it. Abort the children with traits you don't want, or who lack the traits you want, for example.

So Pharaoh was ordering what so many pro-abortion folks are allowing (and in some cases, for which they are even calling). It was even a notion brought up by Margaret Sanger and cited by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg: Kill the undesirables.

Haiku: with vacant eyes

evening twilight -
girl leaves abortion clinic
with vacant eyes

Haiku: Mass for Life

I can't make tonight's Mass for Life. Here's a haiku from a previous Mass:

Mass for life -
tearful woman prays for
child she did not have

Haiku: Praying Pro-Lifers

praying pro-lifers -
girl entering the clinic
avoids eye contact

Haiku: At The Clinic

nurse avoids looking
in garbage pail she empties -
abortion clinic

More Reports of Pro-Abortion Violence

Pewsitter.com interviewed Fr. Tom Euteneuer, of Human Life International, about pro-choice violence. Here are some of his responses:

In the days when I was more actively doing sidewalk counseling, I was threatened with death twice by abortion clinic workers, threatened with physical harm numerous times by boyfriends and others who accompanied women to the clinic and several times I was assaulted by people in vehicles trying to run me over. The verbal harassment is too numerous and gross to recount, especially when directed against a man of the cloth. ...

In Kenya an abortionist tried to poison our director;
in Mexico, the HLI director found a knife covered with red blood-like liquid stuck in his couch with a message to stay out of abortion;
in Austria the anti-lifers have sued our affiliate (without success) and the city government of Vienna created special laws against them;
in the Philippines there are attacks against the character of our pro-life people and one parliamentarian called for the deportation of HLI’s Dr. Brian Clowes when he did a speaking tour there;
in Ecuador our affiliate leader was threatened with death, satanic graffiti was put on the door of a church against us, the severed head of a dog was thrown into a church with a desecrated Sacred Host in its mouth. ...

There has only been intimidation of family members like my father who stands in front of the local Planned Parenthood. It is regular fare: he has insults hurled at him and bottles thrown from cars. ...

The behaviors have always been irrational, but the new element seems to be an occult element that I believe we will see more in the future. “Death-scorts” seem to be more prone to curse and "pray" against pro-lifers probably due to so many of them being involved in New Age and witchcraft. Some of it is overt and some not. The abortion clinic owner in Rockford, IL periodically comes out of his place dressed in a devil outfit, for example. He also puts blasphemous images of Jesus and religion in the window of the clinic. One abortionist in FL some years ago shook blood from his abortion instruments on the pro-lifers after a morning of killing. We will see much more of this in time.

Go to here for the full interview.